Dr Colin Campbell, a research fellow at the university, explained: “We are developing microarray technology and assays specifically to improve the understanding and diagnosis of infectious diseases, especially those caused by herpes viruses or HIV. Our LS Reloaded scanner gives us the level of versatility that we need for assay development that other scanners could not provide. For example, the scanner allows a high degree of flexibility with a choice of materials and chip geometries so that we can scan from underneath or above, and can use silicon wafers and non-standard chip sizes.”
“We recently developed a microarray-based assay for ABO and Rhesus blood group typing, and are now developing this further to bring all the pre-transfusion testing for other blood groups and infectious diseases together on one microarray,” Dr Campbell continued. “Our ultimate aim is to develop a single microarray-based test that will include all the critical antigens that must be matched for a successful blood transfusion to take place.”
About Tecan
Tecan (www.tecan.com) is a leading global provider of laboratory instruments and solutions in biopharmaceuticals, forensics, and clinical diagnostics. The company specializes in the development, production and distribution of automation solutions for laboratories in the life sciences sector. With its subsidiary REMP (www.remp.com), Tecan is the market leader in automated laboratory storage and logistics systems. Its clients include pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, university research departments and diagnostic laboratories. Founded in Switzerland in 1980, the company has manufacturing, research and development sites in both North America and Europe and maintains a sales and service network in 52 countries. In 2008, Tecan generated sales of CHF 396 million (USD 366.7 million; EUR 250.7 million). Registered shares of Tecan Group are traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange (TK: TECN/Reuters: TECZn.S/Swiss security number: 1210019).
